Utility of Papilledema for Detection of Elevated Intracranial Pressure in Craniosynostosis.

Papilledema is swelling of the optic disk due to fluid accumulation around the optic nerve and is commonly used to detect increased intracranial (ICP) in craniosynostosis. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and utility of papilledema detection in patients with single-suture, multi-suture, and syndromic craniosynostosis and the differences before and after surgical intervention. A retrospective review of ophthalmology examinations of patients diagnosed with craniosynostosis treated between 2008 and 2023 was performed.

Mechanical feedback links cell division and dynamics in growing cell collectives.

Local stresses in a tissue, a collective property, regulate cell division and apoptosis. In turn, cell growth and division induce active stresses in the tissue. As a consequence, there is a feedback between cell growth and local stresses.

Multipurpose triadic MXene/garlic/gellan gum-based architecture in the horizon of bone tissue regeneration.

The use of bioresorbable compositions has been considered a promising therapeutic approach for treating compromised bone tissues. Gellan gum (GG) is a predominant polysaccharide recognized for its exceptional biocompatibility and biodegradability, facile bio-fabrication, and customizable mechanical attributes, rendering it well-suited for developing versatile bone scaffolds. On the other hand, MXene nanosheets have been declared a representational filler to augment the osteogenic effect and amend the mechanical properties of the polymeric biomaterials.

Brain RNA profiling highlights multiple disease pathways in persons with HAND: uncovering determinants of biotype diversity.

Objective: To discover microRNA (miRNA)-RNA transcript interactions dysregulated in brains from persons with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), we investigated RNA expression using machine learning tools.

Design: Brain-derived host RNA transcript and miRNA expression was examined from persons with or without HAND using bioinformatics platforms.

Methods: By combining next generation sequencing, droplet digital (dd)PCR quantitation of HIV-1 genomes, with bioinformatics and statistical tools, we investigated differential RNA expression in frontal cortex from persons without HIV (HIV[-]), with HIV without brain disease (HIV[+]), with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), or HAND with encephalitis (HIVE).

Gypsum heterogenous nucleation pathways regulated by surface functional groups and hydrophobicity.

Gypsum (CaSO·2HO) plays a critical role in numerous natural and industrial processes. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms governing the formation of gypsum crystals on surfaces with diverse chemical properties remain poorly understood due to a lack of sufficient temporal-spatial resolution. Herein, we use in situ microscopy to investigate the real-time gypsum nucleation on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) terminated with -CH, -hybrid (a combination of NH and COOH), -COOH, -SO, -NH, and -OH functional groups.

A mixed methods study investigating factors affecting adherence to Plasmodium vivax malaria primaquine radical cure regimens among migrants along the Myanmar-Thailand border.

Background: The countries within the Greater Mekong Region of Southeast Asia have pledged to eliminate malaria by 2030. Elimination of Plasmodium vivax malaria is challenging as it requires radical cure to prevent relapse. Understanding and facilitating adherence to primaquine radical cure regimens is necessary for malaria elimination.

High-Intensity End-of-Life Care Among Young and Middle-Aged Hispanic Adults With Cancer in Puerto Rico.

Background: Timely palliative and hospice care, along with advanced care planning, can reduce avoidable high-intensity care and improve quality of life at the end of life (EoL).

Objective: We examined patterns of care at EoL and evaluated predictors of high-intensity care at EoL among adults aged 18-64 with cancer.

Methods: Using data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage Database, we examined 1359 patients diagnosed with cancer in 2010-2019, who died of cancer between 2017 and 2019 at 64 years and younger, and who were enrolled in Medicaid or private health insurance in last 30 days before death.

Consolidation in an Era of Population Health and Value-Based Care: Implications For Effectiveness, Costs, and Equity.

Consolidation of health care providers, and vertical integration of physicians with hospitals and/or payers has accelerated over the past 15 years. Although there is potential for consolidation to improve patient care, efficiencies and reduce overhead costs, participants in our conference identified that almost all research on consolidation has shown increased cost without improvement in outcomes or the experience of care. To provide a framework for considering the impact of consolidation, future research and analysis we offer 4 themes: (1) to move forward, we need to look back at historical drivers, value creation, and unintended consequences; (2) not all consolidation is created equally; (3) real-time, continuous evaluation is critical for improvement; and (4) a policy blueprint is desperately needed.

Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents' Preferences for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Social Marketing Campaigns: Qualitative Preimplementation Study.

Background: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents in the United States are disproportionately affected by HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective biomedical HIV prevention method, but its awareness and uptake among SGM adolescents are low. There are no adolescent-centered PrEP social marketing campaigns in the United States that have the potential to increase awareness and interest in PrEP.

The association between physician sex and patient outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Some prior studies have found that patients treated by female physicians may experience better outcomes, as well as lower healthcare costs than those treated by male physicians. Physician-patient sex concordance may also contribute to better patient outcomes. However, other studies have not identified a significant difference.

Utilization of Telemedicine for Patients Receiving In-center Hemodialysis in the United States.

Background: In March 2020, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal emergency waivers in the United States enabled kidney care providers (nephrologists and advanced practice providers) to substitute face-to-face in-center hemodialysis visits with telemedicine encounters. We examined whether the frequency of kidney care provider visits and hospitalizations were associated with telemedicine use in hemodialysis care.

Methods: We used Medicare claims to identify US patients receiving in-center hemodialysis during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drivers and barriers to health-seeking behaviors and interactions: a qualitative study of Black patients with lung cancer and with peripheral artery disease.

Objective: To identify factors that may influence health-seeking behaviors and health system interactions from the perspective of Black patients with lung cancer (LC) or peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually with Black patients in the United States. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was performed.

Associations of Cardiorespiratory Fitness with Cerebral Cortical Thickness and Gray Matter Volume Across the Adult Lifespan.

High cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with reduced cortical thinning and gray matter (GM) shrinkage in older adults. We investigated associations of CRF measured with peak oxygen consumption (V̇ O) with cortical thickness and GM volume across the adult lifespan. We hypothesized that higher CRF is associated with less cortical thinning and GM shrinkage across the adult lifespan, which is associated with better cognitive performance.

Toward a Computable Phenotype for Determining Eligibility of Lung Cancer Screening Using Electronic Health Records.

Purpose: Lung cancer screening (LCS) has the potential to reduce mortality and detect lung cancer at its early stages, but the high false-positive rate associated with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for LCS acts as a barrier to its widespread adoption. This study aims to develop computable phenotype (CP) algorithms on the basis of electronic health records (EHRs) to identify individual's eligibility for LCS, thereby enhancing LCS utilization in real-world settings.

Materials And Methods: The study cohort included 5,778 individuals who underwent LDCT for LCS from 2012 to 2022, as recorded in the University of Florida Health Integrated Data Repository.

Climate change and the cost-of-living squeeze in desert lizards.

Climate warming can induce a cost-of-living "squeeze" in ectotherms by increasing energetic expenditures while reducing foraging gains. We used biophysical models (validated by 2685 field observations) to test this hypothesis for 10 ecologically diverse lizards in African and Australian deserts. Historical warming (1950-2020) has been more intense in Africa than in Australia, translating to an energetic squeeze for African diurnal species.

Myostatin's flex on the reproductive hormone axis.

A muscle hormone controls the mammalian reproductive system.

Microwave Sensor with Light-Assisted Enhancement Based on TiCT MXene: Toward ppb-Level NO Detection Limits.

Chemiresistive sensors are currently the most popular gas sensors, and metal semiconductor oxides are often used as sensitive materials (SMs). However, their high operating temperature means that more energy is required to maintain normal operation of the SM, resulting in an increase in power consumption of the entire sensing system. In order to solve this problem, a microwave gas sensor embedded with multilayer TiCT MXene and split ring resonator (SRR) for nitrogen dioxide (NO) detection was reported in this work.

MXene Hollow Microsphere-Boosted Nanocomposite Electrodes for Thermocells with Enhanced Thermal Energy Harvesting Capability.

Thermal energy, constantly being produced in natural and industrial processes, constitutes a significant portion of energy lost through various inefficiencies. Employing the thermogalvanic effect, thermocells (TECs) can directly convert thermal energy into electricity, representing a promising energy-conversion technology for efficient, low-grade heat harvesting. However, the use of high-cost platinum electrodes in TECs has severely limited their widespread adoption, highlighting the need for more cost-effective alternatives that maintain comparable thermoelectrochemical performance.

Stretchable AgS-MXene Photodetector Designed for Enhanced Electrical Durability and High Sensitivity.

In this work, we present a facile and straightforward approach for fabricating highly stretchable photodetectors based on AgS and TiCT MXene hybrid materials. These devices exhibit exceptional mechanical resilience, maintaining stable electrical and optical performance even after 10 000 cycles of 30% strain. The incorporation of MXene not only enhances the device's electrical durability but also ensures the retention of conductivity under significant mechanical deformation, positioning MXene as a critical material for the advancement of flexible electronics.